That’s right, the title says “Taxes,” not “Texas.” Even in Idaho, taxes are out of control. Please enjoy — if that’s the right word — this mini-series on Idaho taxes. But, before you read, one word of reminder: high taxes are merely the symptom of the true disease: out-of-control government spending. This symptom inflicts real […]| Idaho Freedom
Income Taxes: We have options Are you getting the idea that the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) thinks government takes too much in taxes? Good, let’s keep going. By applying our 2026 Freedom and Family Agenda’s strong position on tax cuts, we have proposed eliminating the sales tax on groceries and have offered a plan to […]| Idaho Freedom
Nose hair is offensive. A tax on property is like the nose hair of public policy. There may not be a more offensive tax – well, maybe a tax on breathable air, but let’s not give big government any ideas. Here are the three most nose hair-ish things about the property tax: Good news! We […]| Idaho Freedom
Beginning in 1965, Idaho has had a sales tax on all consumer goods, including groceries. Since then, a “food tax credit” has been created and increased several times to offset the burden of paying sales taxes on groceries. The tax-and-credit system is flawed in many ways, and Idaho taxpayers are hur| Idaho Freedom
Idaho officials are addicted. The standard dictionary definition of addiction is “a strong inclination to do, use, or indulge in something repeatedly,” and there is nothing that matches this description more than the Idaho state government’s inability to curb the growth of spending. Mind you, it is not just Idaho. The shutdown of the federal […]| Idaho Freedom
Well, isn’t that generous? The Group Insurance Advisory Committee (GIAC), under the Office of Group Insurance (OGI) within the Department of Administration — ever the example of fiscal responsibility — unilaterally decided to extend the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to the employee health benefits plan for the previous few years. But don’t worry, when it was […]| Idaho Freedom
Want to save the state nearly $100 million and help fix the budget hole created by years of overspending? Stop digging the money pit of the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) headquarters on State Street. A couple of weeks ago, the governor’s office of the Division of Financial Management re| Idaho Freedom
Dear Members of the Idaho DOGE Task Force, At the request of members of this Task Force, we have attached our analysis and recommendations for the committee's consideration. Each proposed reduction, consolidation, or elimination falls within the committee's stated purpose and offers realistic options for waste reduction. The Idaho DOGE Task Force is positioned to […]| Idaho Freedom
Those of us of a certain age remember the old anti-war song, most famously sung by the lefty folk rock band, Peter, Paul and Mary: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” The song tells the story of the cycle of life, with the flowers ending up on military graves. Remember, this was during the Vietnam Wa| Idaho Freedom
REVISION (August 21, 2025): Due to inconsistent reporting between the Division of Financial Management and Legislative Service Office, this article has been updated. The article now reflects the data that was provided by the LSO following the article's publication. For several years, the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) has been sounding warnings about Idaho's excessive spending […]| Idaho Freedom
I have, so far, sent one and only one recommendation to the Idaho Legislature’s new DOGE task force that is supposed to be on the hunt for efficiencies in government. I could send more, but I wanted to offer something that checks all the boxes for legislators who want to: Make government more eff| Idaho Freedom
Last week’s kickoff of the Idaho DOGE Task Force highlights the need to rein in Idaho’s spending growth. It’s a tall order. Since 2019, the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Spending Index has been the only yardstick for measuring the impacts of individual agency appropriations bills. And necessarily, the votes on these bills by legislators provide the […]| Idaho Freedom
Ask any good conservative in Idaho politics, and they’ll tell you Idaho’s budgets and government growth are out of control. They’re right. Now, throw in the biggest buzzword in politics for the last six months (the start of President Trump’s return to power), “DOGE.” Of course, that’s shorthand for the Department of Government Efficiency (headed […]| Idaho Freedom
Want to know what happens in an Idaho Freedom Foundation team meeting? Here’s a glimpse. The question was asked, “If Argentina can cut its government and spending by 28% in one year, why can’t Idaho do that or more?” Without missing a beat, “The answer is ‘cowardice,’” rang out from one (unnamed) freedom fighter. And […]| Idaho Freedom
Normally, we at the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) don’t weigh in on federal legislation that does not directly impact Idaho. However, any massive Congressional omnibus bill with tax and spending provisions is bound to impact Idahoans. We would like to bring to the attention of our readers a few key points for consideration. And perhaps […]| Idaho Freedom
Could Idaho’s government run out of money? That might be a reasonable worry based on your first reading of a recent article highlighting how Idaho’s General Fund revenue was $141 million behind legislative projections for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25, ending June 30, 2025). We are told to be concerned because Idaho taxes won’t catch up. […]| Idaho Freedom
Property tax is one of the most pressing policy issues in Idaho right now. Almost everyone agrees that property taxes are too high, and most conservatives see them as morally wrong altogether. This is not just a partisan issue either — lowering property taxes crosses party lines. Over the past several years, many homeowners have […]| Idaho Freedom
The Joint-Finance Appropriation Committee (JFAC) reviewed continuous appropriations during the recent Spring Interim Meeting. Continuous appropriations are funds that have no set appropriation and are off-budget and perpetually expended - unless some other action is taken by the Legislature. In practical terms, this means there is no annual appropriation and, historically, no review of these […]| Idaho Freedom
The Idaho Legislature has adjourned, and lawmakers are returning to their districts, mostly with the exuberant message, “Guess what, Idaho? We saved you $292 million this year!” In response, you might ask, “Okay, but how much did you spend?” The jolting news for Idaho families is that the reported total government spending in Idaho is […]| Idaho Freedom
If it hasn’t occurred to you yet that reining in government spending is probably the single most important policy objective (after sealing our borders from invasion) for conservatives, it should. We all experienced how the excessive spending under the Biden Administration ignited inflation and drove the federal debt over $36 trillion. Is it just a […]| Idaho Freedom
Idaho still has a budget problem. Despite significant progress on the spending front in the 2025 legislative session, the biggest government program with the biggest budget in Idaho’s history, Medicaid, went unscathed. Overall, the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Medicaid budget appropriation was $5.25 billion, 37% of the $14.1 billion state appropriation for all programs in […]| Idaho Freedom
